Africa Risks 'Sustained Community Transmission' of Mpox, WHO Warns

Monrovia — Africa continues to experience rising cases of mpox, with Uganda reporting the highest number of confirmed daily cases in the region, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The report warns that "wherever mpox outbreaks are not quickly contained", it becomes difficult to stop human-to-human transmission, potentially risking a "sustained transmission in the community".

With 200 to 300 cases per week, Uganda surpassed the Democratic Republic of Congo as the hardest-hit nation, although the report said DR Congo continues to report the highest number of "cumulative confirmed mpox cases" in Africa in 2025, with clades Ia and Ib the most dominant.

Earlier, the Ugandan Health Ministry announced that more than 5,000 cases were confirmed in the country, with 40 deaths. Officials said Kampala and other cities had the highest number of cases, while the authorities are carrying out "intensified surveillance, case management, and public awareness efforts to contain the virus".

Burundi continues to observe a declining trend of confirmed cases, according to the WHO report, "with fewer than 50 new confirmed cases per week", which is down from the over 200 confirmed cases reported per week at the peak of the outbreak.

There's a rising number of confirmed mpox cases in Sierra Leone, with over 200 new confirmed cases reported "during the most recent week", which the report said highlights the increased transmission in the country.

In August 2024, the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) each declared mpox a public health emergency due to the rapid increase in the number of cases. The Africa CDC has, however, announced it will convene a panel of experts to decide whether the disease should continue to be classified as an emergency "given the mixed epidemiological trends, with signs of both rising and falling infections across affected countries in Africa".

Meanwhile, there was an uptick in vaccination against the disease, with more than half a million doses administered in seven countries. "From the total number of doses, 88% have been administered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where vaccination strategy is being revised in light of limited vaccine supply," the WHO report said.